This invention relates generally to suction cleaners (which are commonly, and will herein be, referred to as vacuum cleaners. More particularly, the invention relates to a dust separator/collector assembly for a vacuum cleaner, which separates dust particles from the suction airflow drawn from whatever is being cleaned, and collects the separated particles for later disposal.
In referring herein to dust, it is to be understood that what is sucked up and entrained in the suction airstream of a vacuum cleaner can typically include particles of a very wide range of sizes, ranging from microns to millimetres, possibly even tens of millimetres. Fibres, including animal and human hair, pieces of fabric or paper, and scraps or even small articles of plastics or other material are also likely to be sucked up. All such things are to be understood as included within the term “dust” used herein, and whatever system is utilised for dust separation and collection in a vacuum cleaner ought to be able to cope with a wide range of them.